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Half marathon complete! Special thanks to Classixx, Swedish House Mafia, and Avicci et al for having my back. Now just need to brave through a couple of days at work before I hop on a plane to Oregon and slip happily into the holiday weekend.

Today’s Emo: True Love or Bust / Long Walks on the Beach

‘and sure we’ve broken our hearts / like one too many times / but not too many times’

After spending the weekend running along the shore of Monterey, it seems fitting to take some Long Walks on the Beach with my Monday. This is third track I have shared from LWOTB, aka Fritz Kramer, investigative journalist by day and magical bedroom pop producer by night, and like all of his stuff, it is the kind of music that just makes you feel good. Sweet crooning, steady beats, an endearing chorus… there is nothing complex here and the gold is in the simplicity of the sound, restful while warming on the ears.

LWOTB’s site, aptly beachtheonwalkslong.com is also filled with hints of musical inspiration and thoughtful little tidbits. I know you have a day job Fritz, but think about coming and walking Ocean Beach and playing a show out here in SF. I wanna buy you a beer. #emo

Today’s Untz: Let it Be / Blackmill ft. Veela

The slower side of untz, this is my first time posting ‘chillstep’ but there is really no better way to describe this sound. Let is Be settles into you and makes you want to stretch out and loosen up, but definitely move. It’s creator, Robert Card, hails from Scotland and is a whopping nineteen years old. At a time where I was busy downing jello shots, he is already crafting some pretty accomplished stuff. Sigh. #untz

A short but magical weekend, capped off with tubing down the Russian River on Sunday afternoon. Want to be back there now…

Today’s Emo: I Didn’t Want to Make Out (I wanted to kiss) / Long Walks on the Beach

‘I didn’t want to make out / I wanted to touch your lips with mine / to see if I could change our minds’

Long Walks on the Beach was featured in my second TUATE post ever, so I’m excited to share more of his stuff seven months down the line after happily stumbling upon him on Hypem the other day. Singsongy, clap along beats, slick vocals, and sliding xylophone notes make I Didn’t Want to Make Out a perfect summer driving song… windows down, speakers up, hand out the window rolling into little hills with the wind.

The song sounds decidedly California, but Fritz Kramer is doing his long walks on the other coast out in DC. There is something so endearing in the sentiment of wanting a simple kiss instead of a steamy make out session to reconnect… smitten on this song all over again. #emo

Today’s Untz: I’ll Get You / Classixx (Gigamesh remix)

‘do you like bass / do you do you like bass’

An oldie but a goodie, we listened to this track to wake up on a sleepy drive home from Yosemite a couple weekends ago and I was reminded of how great Classixx can be… I saw them kill it at Mission Rock last winter. Gilgamesh smooths things out while keeping the catchy chorus intact in his remix. Yes guys I like bass. I love bass. #untz

I am finding (very) early on in this endeavor that most of my favorite untz is a bit emo, and most of my favorite emo a bit untz. I shouldn’t be surprised.

Today’s Emo: Metaphysical / Long Walks on the Beach

While Metaphysical has upbeat undertones, the band name and song title alone make this track categorically emo. Everything about Long Walks on the Beach is cool, from sole contributor Fritz Kramar’s I just woke up voice to his song titles like “I didn’t want to make out (I wanted to kiss)” to the animal loving artwork on the LWOTB site. The band self categorizes as “bedroom pop,” and I’d happily play this in my bedroom, but I’d even more happily play this on a drive with the windows down on a sunny friday afternoon, leaving work, on my way to a mountain escape in Tahoe. Convenient timing.

“Not all we know is what we see / but I’m looking at you, you’re looking at me.” Simple beats, can’t help but smile lyrics, mild sexual innuendo, and an easy acronym. #emo

Today’s Untz: Something Good Can Work (The Twelves Remix) / Two Door Cinema Club

Although the first strike of sound in this track makes you think you are delving into yet another remix of Bulletproof, The Twelve’s subtle blend of untz into this already dance worthy song makes it another Friday afternoon anthem. I discovered Two Door Cinema Club a couple of weeks ago thanks to Hype Machine, and their album Tourist History is now on heavy rotation. Two Door Cinema Club reminds me of a more American sounding The Kooks (funny because they are Irish) with a dash of Death Cab for Cutie. This discovery came with great timing, because they are playing Coachella this spring.

The Twelves, a fantastic dj duo from Rio, are also doing a show in SF at the Mezz in early February. They will hopefully rock this song and I will inevitably dance my face off and temporarily forget where I am. #untz